


while you stare at your boots

by ifreet



Series: bottle it up [1]
Category: due South
Genre: Community: ds_aprilfools
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-13
Updated: 2011-05-13
Packaged: 2017-10-19 09:08:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/199212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifreet/pseuds/ifreet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben is waiting.</p><p>For the prompt "slumber."</p>
            </blockquote>





	while you stare at your boots

A month before, he filed the request for time off. Just in case.

Two weeks before, he found time to do those minor repairs and improvements that he never quite had the energy to complete, the unnecessary things that would make visitors more comfortable, should anyone stop by.

A week before, he avoided anyone who might bring up 'your American friends' in conversation, even Miss Miller, who asked after 'those nice boys' year round. His skin felt stretched tighter by the day until he felt he might burst through it with a too sharp motion.

The day before, he stared blankly at the reports sitting in front of him. He remembered reading them, but he couldn't remember what a single one said. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed at the inner corners. He was every bit as useless at his desk as he would have been in the field. He would have stayed home, but Diefenbaker had growled him out the door, and he'd found himself yielding more readily to Dief as his friend slid into grey-muzzled old age.

The clock ticked over the hours until suddenly it was too late for Chicago to hold them back, too late for court dates or crime sprees to force them to reschedule. Any delays -- there could still be delays -- would be weather or airline related. Nothing that would keep them more than a few extra hours. A day, maybe. He re-read the reports, and this time they stayed read.

Diefenbaker came with him to the airfield, silent but for a single grumble about the early hour. He supposed they were a bit early, but at the cabin the wait would have seemed interminable. He watched the skies and waited.

And when the plane came into view, it felt like waking up.


End file.
